Pope Francis: There are Christians nowadays condemned for having a Bible

VATICAN RADIO

Pope Francis: There are Christians nowadays condemned for having a Bible English Español Français Italiano Português Google Facebook Twitter Youtube RSS Flickr Instagram Fides News Agency L’Osservatore Romano Press Office VIS Vatican Radio CTV From the Pope Pope Francis: There are Christians nowadays condemned for having a Bible Print 2014-03-04 Vatican Radio (Vatican Radio) The persecution of Christians in contemporary society was the focus of Pope Francis’ homily at his Mass on Tuesday morning in the Santa Marta residence. He warned that the Cross is always on the road of a Christian, saying there are more Christian martyrs today than during the early days of the Church. In his homily, the Pope took as his cue the biblical account of where Peter asked Jesus what the disciples would receive in return for following him. He said Peter probably thought that following Jesus would be a great commercial activity because Jesus is generous but, as Christ warned, whatever they would gain would always be accompanied by persecutions. “It’s as if Jesus said” Yes, you have left everything and you will receive here on earth many things: but with persecutions!” Like a salad with the oil of persecution: always! This is what the Christian gains and this is the road for the person who wants to follow Jesus, because it’s the road that He himself trod.: He was persecuted! It’s the road of humbling yourself. That’s what Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians. ‘Jesus emptied himself and being in every way like a human being, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross’. This is the reality of Christian life.” Pope Francis went on to warn that the Cross is always present on the road of the a Christian!” We will have many brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers in the Church, in the Christian community, but we also will have persecutions. “This is because the world does not tolerate the divinity of Christ. It doesn’t tolerate the announcement of the Gospel. It does not tolerate the Beatitudes. An.......